These four photographs, one color and three black and
white are of carpet fragments from the Ala ed-din Mosque in Konia, Turkey and
dating from the 13th-14th century, represent the few existing carpets from the
Seljuk period and as such perhaps the earliest known Turkmen rugs. Their even
symmetrical knotting , both sophisticated pallet and intricate designs
demonstrate excellent craftsmanship. What most impresses me about these rugs,
aside from their inherent beauty, is the realization that in so many ways these
rugs are still with us. The weaving cultures of the Caucasian,the Persian and
Balouch , and of course the Turkmen are all represented, for these design
elements are still used in contemporary weaving cultures of Turkic descent. The
octagonal flowers or gols, the geometric avian renderings, the lattice works
and cufic borders are all relics of their common origins.

Maybe one of
our members might possess some color photos of the B&W images- and maybe
when I get the chance, and if I can figure out how, I'll use one of those photo
repair programs to reconstruct of of these rugs- or at least a reasonable
Facimile.

Posted by Steve Price on 07-12-2002 09:24 AM:

Hi David,

Although all of those pieces did come from the Konya
mosque that you mention, they are now in the Museum of Islamic Art in Istanbul.
It's a terrific museum, with a large collection of rugs, nicely displayed. No
ruggie visiting Istanbul should miss it.

There's also a wonderful
collection of rugs in the ethnographic museum (I've forgotten the exact name of
it) in Konya.

Thank you so much for the color versions
of my post- they will make a welcome addition to my documents folder- they
really are striking. No reconstructed rug images yet, have been so busy, but
hopefully... At any rate, Mr Paquin advances an interesting theory regarding
design migration from silks to carpets, but represents just one facet of the
evolution, migration and, I think this is important, reemergence of carpet
designs and design elements. My feelings are that the design repertoir is
dictated as much by the limitations and propensities of a two dimensional
medium shared by both silks, carpets, and for that matter most all fabrics.
They are fundamentally the same, share the same limitations, and are variations
upon the same medium, hence the circularity of both design reemergence and the
attendant and seeming circularity of the varied theories regarding design
origin. A technological chronology would read Felt- Kilim-carpet-silk.

Also, I believe it important to note that, while at one time valid, Mr
Paquin's assertion that the middle east has no indigenous weaving culture is no
longer considered valid, numerous examples having been found predating the
Seldjuk carpets. But this should come as no suprise, considering the ancient
origins of designs and themes exhibited by the elements found in carpets.

Note the similarities, of inverse and reciprocal, between the
designs of these Elamite seals and carpet borders.

It has been noted by more than one scholar, James Opie
among them in Tribal Rugs, that the ubiquitous animal tree motif may be
derived from Luristan bronze standard.

This Photo of a village in Luristan illustrates the custom
of mounting sets of Ibex horns on the edge of the roof and overtop of entrance
ways- possibly an ancient and talismanic practice.

Could the rams horn and animal tree motifs of this Balouch
rug constitute the artifacts of an ancient cultural and artistic heritage?

Posted by Michael Wendorf on 07-27-2002 08:05 PM:

Dave #2 and Salon 22

Dear Dave:

Please compare rug 22 in the salon with the second rug
you depict. Both with an ivory field. On rug #2 in this thread the ivory field
is filled with octagonal motifs with 4 arrow like devices within each octagon.
On rug 22 in the Salon, the arrow devices are similar, but are not within an
octagon. The border on rug is 22 is very simple with rosettes on a reddish
ground framed by natural brown wool.

I think that both of these rugs,
woven centuries apart, show the influence of a warp substitution tradition.

On Marla Mallett's website, see links from Turkotek, she has a section
entitled "A Few Published Articles." One of these concerns tracking the
Archtype. I have found this article and Marla's lectures on this subject eye
opening.

As an aside, two articles concerning Mr. Mellaart and Catal
Huyuk are also found there.